“But –”
He turned to look at her.
She couldn’t even see his face but she still bent and put on the socks.
When she straightened, he was close and before she could say a word, he pulled one of his jumpers over her head.
“Um…” she muttered as she shoved her arms through and he tugged the tendrils of hair at her neck free of the collar, “I’m not getting it.”
He looked at her shadowed form in his sweater. She swam in it.
Definitely better than the posh cardie.
He walked away, explaining, “We’re going outside.”
“We are?”
He pulled on a jumper. “Aye. Best place in the house.”
He grabbed the wine and then guided her out the door to the balcony. He put the glasses on the railing and saw her give them a funny look while he uncorked the wine.
Then her eyes went to his face. He couldn’t see her clearly in the dark but he felt her gaze.
“Pren,” she said softly.
He cut her off. “We need to talk about Fee.”
Even though she was two feet away, Prentice felt her go still.
He ignored it and poured the wine. Handing a glass to her, he took a sip from his.
Then Prentice decided it was f**king well time to get a few things straight. Straight enough so that head of hers couldn’t twist them, no matter how hard she tried.
He got close and circled her with an arm around her chest, turning her so her back was to his front. He rested his weight against the railing and put pressure against her chest with his forearm as indication she should rest her weight against him.
She struggled with this for a moment. When he didn’t release the pressure, with a sigh she relaxed against him.
His eyes went to the sea.
The night was chill, the moon mostly hidden, the sea only a midnight blue blanket with caps of white.
As it always did, this vision settled him.
“I loved her,” Prentice whispered and Elle went solid against him for only a moment before her hands came up. Her fingers curling on his forearm, she left them where they were and she relaxed. Prentice went on, “I still do.”
“You miss her,” Elle said softly.
“Aye. Every day. Even after all this time, I can open the front door and forget she won’t be on the other side.”
Her hands squeezed his arm.
“We were happy,” Prentice told her.
Elle nodded but he heard her breath hitch.
This time his arm squeezed her.
“I’ll always love her, Elle.”